This post is going to be the place for today’s Simon Cowell, so keep checking back here for the lastest developments…
UPDATE:
Melinda Doolittle, Matt Giraud and Brooke White share their thoughts on Simon Cowell with MTV News:
“He was either nothing but love … or, ‘Kaboom!’ ” said Brooke White, who got a bit of both from Cowell during her run into the top five on season seven, the last go-round with the original judging triumvirate of Simon, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. “I mean, he said I was like a hamburger with no meat one time!”
TMZ reports that negotiations with Simon Cowell literally went down to the wire,
As Simon drove to the TCA in Pasadena, final negotiations hit a wall. Lawyers for both sides had a serious disagreement over one of the terms. As Simon was pulling up, he was on the phone and on the verge of aborting the announcement and driving away — the ultimate game of brinkmanship.
Someone blinked … because lawyers came to terms and Simon rolled out of his Rolls and into TV history.
Gossip columnist Courtney Hazlett’s sources tell her Paula Abdul has had conversations with Simon, but no agreement yet:
A source close to Abdul said that she has not come to any agreement with Cowell at this point, but she’s had some conversations about teaming up with him.
Paula had no hard feelings toward Simon when she left (American Idolâ€). There have been conversations about her future. Paula’s considered many opportunities, and is waiting for the right one to come along, †said the source.
Time’s TV critic, James Poniewozik, weighs in on the Cowell matter,
“Will Idol be as enjoyable without Cowell? I’m guessing not. Fox must know that, as reports indicate it basically threw bars of gold at Cowell to get him to stay. But it did the next best thing—ensuring that, should X-Factor kill Idol, or vice versa, Fox will own the winner either way.”
- CNN International “Idol vs X Factor”
- The New York Times asks the media experts HERE.
- PopEater explores all the possible X Factor/Idol scenarios HERE.
- MTV asks the “Idol Experts what they think HERE. (Heh!)
- The Washington Post TV Critic, Lisa Morales, summarizes Simon’s announcement in her typically amusing way HERE.
- MTV asks, “Who Should Replace Simon Cowell?” HERE. Ryan Seacrest, Ellen Degeneres and others congratulate Simon HERE.
- Fox 411 summarizes the Paula Abdul/X Factor situation HERE.
- The Top 5 reasons you’ll miss Simon Cowell HERE.
